CARNAC La Trinité

A megalithic site which dates back to between 3000 to 5000 years BC, Carnac is composed of 3 installations of 3000 menhirs succeeding one another in 0 to 13 parallel lines terminating in a half circle of stone called Cromlech. It is certainly a must-see for any visitor to Brittany; but at the same time, the place has become quite popular and you certainly won't be the only one admiring the menhirs. In order to protect the site, a large part of it has been fenced off. But if you're just dying to get close to these megalithic rocks, get yourself an IGN card for the area and look around for the last (smaller) megaliths which are not prohibited. There are a few left...

Carnac Tourist Office

"Morbihan Megaliths" official DRAC site, superb

Important Note: The alignments have been fenced off to permit the re-growth of vegetation and for the soil to re-stabilize itself in order to stop the slippage of the menhirs caused by the constant foot traffic of tourists. At Kermario, a temporary building houses an information center and a library on the subject of megaliths.

GLOSSARY

Menhir: A vertical rock
Dolmen: A sepulture formed from large rocks grouped close together
Cromlech: An enclosure of menhirs
Cairn: A construction made of dry rocks covering one or two dolmens (ex. cairn de kercado)
Tumulus : A mound covering a sepulture which has no access corridor (ex. tumulus St-Michel).

La Trinité :

The port of La Trinite has always had a good reputation because of its exceptional location. Well sheltered at the bottom of the Bay of Quiberon, the little town welcomes the great regattas of world's most impressive sailing races. You can meet the top skippers here, at any time of the year on the docks, and see the wonderful catamarans and the other Formula Ones of the sea.